Punch core orienting device



Patented Feb. 23, 1954 PUNCH CORE ORIENTFNG DEVTCE Manley L. Natland, Rolling Hills, and Raymond E; Pearson, Compton, Califl, assignors to Richfield Oil Corporation, Los Angeles, Caiiii, a corporation of Delaware Application February 13, 1950, Serial No. 143,958

4; Claims, (Cl. 2551.'i)

This invention relates to punch core orienting apparatus and constitutes an improvement over the device shown in our copending application,

. Serial No. 65,024, filed December 13, 1948, now

2 matter of the present invention records the low side of the retractable device so that by correlation with the known inclination and direction of the bore hole the orientation of the core Patent No. 2,603,125, issued June 10, 1952. In 5 may be determined. our copending application it is pointed out that In the drawings: conventional coring devices commonly employ Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view showa core bit with a hollow center which cuts away ing a preferred embodiment of our invention. an annular ring into the formation, leaving the Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view showing center of the hole uncut and forming a projecthe lower end of the retractable assembly shown tion which extends upwardly into a core barrel in Figure 1. extending downwardly into the hollow bit. 1 Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken When the desired length of core has been resubstantially on the lines 33 as shown in Figceived within the core barrel, the core barrel, ure 2. together with the formation sample or core, is Referring particularly to the detailed conwithdrawn to the surface. The core barrel may struction of a preferred embodiment of our presbe withdrawn on a Wire line through the inent invention as shown in the drawings, the bore terior of the drill string, or the drill string itself hole it receives the drill string generally desmay be withdrawnfihsectloi by 866321031 to bring ifignatec; H which may include a plurality of sec the core barrel to e sur ace. In ei er even, ions t lreaoed end to end. The lowermost seea problem of orienting the core arises in order tion, or sections, commonly has a heavier wall to determine the azimuth of the dip of the well thickness and is known in the art as a drill colformation. lar is. A bit it is connected to the lower end of The present invention relates to an improved the drill collar, and as shown in Figure 1 this form of punch core apparatus which provides a bit is provided with an axial opening 15 through means of determining the orientation of the core. which the retractable core barre assembly It The device is useful only in holes which deviate may extend. This assembly it includes a sunfrom the true vertical. In this device, the core port tube H which extends downward from a barrel is provided with a cutting head and is latching assembly generally designated 48. The moved longitudinally into the formation With lower end of the support tube is threadedly conout rotary motion. The improvement to which nected to the upper end of a sectional punch the present invention relates lies in the use of core head 59. The head 59 is connected by a luminous ball which rolls on a light-sensitive th e d 29 t th b d :25. A e t al e e 22 surface. The ball and ligh -sensitive element s prgvjded in t head go which is accessible are incorporated int) a punch core apparatus 5 when the head it and body 2| are separated. A f Y to fumlsh irecordkof f of seal ring 23 normally acts to seal the recess 22 ig of fi f i g 2% against entrance of fluids in the well bore.

3 Ji a g g 33932 In accordance with our invention a capsule 24 an having a base 25 and a cover 26 connected by known fiom a previously run survey, the recu 1 threads 2? 13 positioned within the recess 22.

0rd showing the low s1de of the hole with ie- A mnpirwhr key m the base d lation to the core enables the orientation of the within} S 21; d core to be determined. The retractable device, d d thm'k g i f i i t together with the core, is then withdrawn from Q m gi 2 2 e f q its position at the lower end of the drill string 0 1s f w reladon P and is lifted through the interior of the drill body 3- An fY i e g string to the surface. The angular position of comprmes a portion a ere 1s Orme on the core within the core barrel is then noted and the base 35, and ligm'sinsitive Sheet, for the record of the inclination of the device is amplfi, phfimgralohic fi m i, is fixed on this given by inspection of the light-sensitive e1 surface 30. A ball 3!: having a luminous coating ment after standard photographic development r0115 freely n the Sheet The ball 3 y procedures have taken place. From this inforc m fi nt y e mated With mi p i t mation the orientation of the core with respect Wh ch W l d it y affecting the p to the formation can readily be determined. p s t 3 1" the ball y be Coated -'Or The indicator which constitutesthe subject" formed of material having radio-active properties such as will affect the light-sensitive sheet 3|.

The speed of the photographic sheet may be so chosen that the light .or other rays emitted from the surface of the ball 32 afiect it to an appreciable extent only after an elapse of considerable time. Accordingly, the ball 32 may be placed within the capsule 24, the capsule inserted within the recess 22 and the retractable device it as a whole run into the interior of the drill collar 13 on a wire line before the ball makes any permanent record on the sheet 3|. The retractable assembly It assumes the inclination of the drill collar l3 within the bore hole, and this inclination and its direction are known from previously run surveys. Any appreciable inclination of the hole causes the ball 32 to roll to the low side of the sheet 3|. The ball remains in that position while the punch core is being taken and sufiicient additional time is allowed to elapse to insure that the ball shall leave a spot on the film which will show clearly after the film has been developed. The spot indicates the low side of the hole at the time the punch core was taken.

The core-receiving tube 33 is connected to the lower end of the body by means of threads 34 and is provided with a cylindrical cutter 35 at its lower end. A radially extending marking pin 36 is provided on the tube 33 near the cutter 35 so that a scratch mark is formed on the core as it enters the bore 37 of the tube 33. Relief openings 38 may be provided to permit escape of any fluids trapped in the interior of the tube when the core enters.

The upper end of the support tube ll is threadedly connected at 39 to the latch body 40. A latching lug 42 is pivotally carried on the latch body at 43 and is adapted to extend under a shoulder 44 fixed relative to the drill string H. A pull bar 45 is slidably mounted relative to the latch body M) and carries a cross-pin 46 operable in an angularly disposed slot 41 provided in the latching lug 52. When the knob 48 on the upper end of the pull bar 45 is engaged by the overshot 49 and lifted vertically the pull bar 45 moves upwardly relative to the latch body 40, causing the cross-pin 45 acting in the slot 4'! to retract the latching lug 42 so that it no longer underlies the stationary shoulder 44. Continued upward movement of the overshot 49 serves to retract the entire device 16 through the drill string H. The overshot 49 may be carried on the end of a wire line operated in a conventional manner.

In operation the retractable core barrel assembly it is latched into position at the lower end of the drill string with the punch core tube 33 projecting from the lower end of the bit 14. The drill string H is then lowered to bring the cylindrical cutter 35 into contact with the formation at the bottom of the well bore, and the weight of the drill string punches the core tube 33 into the formation, causing a core to be received within the bore 31' of the tube 33. The assembly is then unlatched from the drill string and withdrawn on a wire line as described above. The core is marked by means of the pin 36, and the spot on the film 3! left by the ball may then be used to calculate the orientation of the core. In order to be sure that the ball 32 has left a spot of adequate intensity on the sensitized film 3|, it is only necessary to allow the required time interval to elapse before withdrawing the assembly l6 from the drill string I I.

Having fully described our invention, it is to be understood that we do not wish to be limited to the details herein set forth, but our invention is of the full scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In a device insertable and retractable through a drill string for taking a punch core from a well bore and for indicating orientation of the core, the combination of a retrievable core barrel assembly adapted to be lowered from the surface through the drill string; means for latching the core barrel assembly relative to the drill string at a location near its lower end; means carried on the retrievable core barrel assembly for providing a record of the inclination of the core barrel assembly in latched position, said means comprising a ray-emitting ball adapted to roll upon a sensitized sheet fixed relative to said assembly; a core-receiving member on the core barrel assembly adapted to take a punch core upon lowering of the drill string; means in predetermined fixed circumferential relation to said sensitized sheet for marking said core and means for unlatching and withdrawing the core barrel assembly and core upwardly through the drill string.

2. In a device insertable and retractable through a drill string for taking a punch core from a well bore and for indicating orientation of the core, the combination of a retrievable core barrel assembly adapted to be lowered from the surface through the drill string; means for latching the core barrel assembly relative to the drill string at a location near its lower end; a

' capsule removably mounted on the retrievable core barrel assembly in fixed angular relation with respect thereto; the capsule providing a chamber; a ray-emitting ball in the chamber adapted to roll upon a sensitized sheet fixed on the capsule for providing a record of the inclination of the core barrel assembly in latched position; a core-receiving member on the core barrel assembly adapted to take a punch core upon lowering of the drill string; means in predetermined fixed circumferential relation to said sensitized sheet for marking said core and means for unlatching and withdrawing the core barrel assembly and core upwardly through the drill string.

3. In a device insertable through a drill string for taking a punch core from a well bore and for indicating orientation of the core, the combination of a retrievable core barrel assembly adapted to be lowered from the surface through the drill string; means for latching the core barrel assembly relative to the drill string at a location adjacent its lower end; means carried on the retrievable core barrel. assembly for providing a record of the direction of inclination of the core barrel assembly in latched position, said means including a ray-emitting gravity responsive member adapted to roll upon a convex sensitized sheet fixed relative to said assembly; a tubular member on the core barrel assembly adapted to extend below the lower end of the drill string so that a punch core may be taken by the member upon lowering of the drill string; means in predetermined fixed circumferential relation to said sensitized sheet for marking said core and means for withdrawing the core barrel assembly and core upwardly through the drill string.

4. A capsule adapted to be removably secured to a retrievable core barrel assembly, comprising in combination: a housing having an aligning element to be removably attached in fixed angular relation on the core barrel assembly, the housing providing a chamber, and a ray-emitting ball in the chamber rolling upon a sensitized sheet fixed in the housing.

MANLEY L. NATLAN'D. RAYMOND E. PEARSON.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Number 6 Name Date Culbertson Jan. 19, 1932 Jakosky Dec. 6, 1932 Higgins Aug. 22, 1939 Noble Dec. 26, 1939 McMahan Nov. 10, 1942 Irwin et a1 Dec. 1, 1942 Smith Dec. 24, 1946 Smith Apr. 22, 1947 Engle Nov. 29, 1949 

